The amount of food imported into the U.S. has increased rapidly in the past two decades, by more than 200% during the period of 2003–2013. Recent data indicated that 15% of the U.S. food supply is imported, including about 50% of fresh fruits, 20% of vegetables, and 80 % of seafood. Accompanying this increase, concerns about the safety of imported food have also increased. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) provides FDA new tools and authorities to make certain imported foods meet the same safety standards as foods produced in the U.S. In 2013, FDA issued a proposed regulation on Foreign Supplier Verification Programs (FSVP) that would establish requirements for importers to verify that their foreign suppliers are implementing the modern, prevention-oriented food safety practices called for by FSMA. This symposium will provide an overview of the proposed FSVP regulation, showcase the approaches taken by U.S. food companies in establishing effective and robust foreign supplier verification programs, and highlight how companies work in partnership with foreign suppliers to implement modern food safety management systems and to ensure that international standards are met. In addition, this symposium will discuss the potential impact of FVSP on foreign suppliers, with a specific focus on food exporters in China and Southeast Asia. The speakers will highlight the approaches taken to establish prevention-based food safety systems and will comment on the challenges and opportunities in meeting the new requirements. This symposium is unique in that it provides a diverse view from different stakeholders in addressing the issues associated with foreign supplier verification and in meeting the requirements set forth in the proposed FVSP regulation.

Presentations